Tag Archives: Department od Defense

More waste of Tax Dollars OUR tax Dollars. Check out the links to the Universities and what they are doing and ask yourself is that money not better spend in the United States and for our Veterans?

The question is also: Why is the U.S. Department of Defense investing in Universities in a Country that is NOT a military ally and has, as neutral ultra-liberal country, a history of dealing, working and cooperating not only with friends and allies but also hard core enemies of the United States such as IRAN, China and others.

I came across an article today that made me wonder. According to the Austrian Newspaper Kurier Online the United States Military invested almost 12.2 Million U.S. Dollars (9 Million Euro) in Austrian Universities for unspecified reasons. Universities claim the research was “basic Research” whatever that means and not of military research.

The question is why is the US Defense Department spending Money on Foreign Universities with no specification on what those contributions are for.

If none of the Universities participate in Military Science why is the Military spending money on them?

Since 2009 several Austrian Universities and the Austrian Academy of Science (ÖAW) have received approximately 9 Million Euro ( 12.2 Million U.S. Dollars) from the Department of Defense as Vienna Newspaper (Wiener Zeitung) reported on Wednesday. The Universities defend themselves with: They never have participated in defense science only in “Basic Science”.

Cooperation with U.S. Military

Based on research of the Vienna Newspaper (Wiener Zeitung) in cooperation with NDR, next to Austrian Academy of Science (ÖAW), almost ALL large Universities and Research teams have cooperated with the U.S. Department of Defense.

A Document published by the Vienna Newspaper (Wiener Zeitung) shows projects at the University of Vienna, Technical University Vienna, University of Natural Resources and Life Science Vienna, Medical University of Innsbruck, as well as Montanuni University Leoben listed.

Purpose of the international Cooperation with Universities is to avoid technological Surprises (???) and strengthen partnerships, the Vienna news reports based on a strategy paper of the United States Air Force.

5.4 Million Euro (7.35 Million U.S. Dollars) for Breast cancer research

The gross money, 5.4 Million Euro ($ 7.35 Million USD) goes to the geneticist Josef Penninger who does Breast cancer Research. Franziskus von Kerssenbrock, head of the Austrian Academy of Science claims that also civilians will benefit from the results. Unlike in Austria, in the U.S.A research is not exclusivley funded by U.S. Department of Science, and the U.S. Department of Defense has the largest funds.

The University of Vienna works on a “Supercomputer” for the encryption and investigation of Data financed through “Third-party funds” also interesting for the Intelligence community such as the NSA.

Basic Science financed by the Military

Austrian Universities defend the financial aid from the U.S. Pentagon. In many western countries is free available “Basic Science” financed through funds of the Military, as the Austrian “Boku” (University of Natural Resources and Life Science Vienna) claims.

Because of the humiliating low Governmental Scientific Aid available in Austria and lack of Aid for amendment and renewal of basic equipment is the search for funds like this necessary for the Universities.

Science with Military Background

Wolfgang Liebert, head of the “Institute for Security- and Risk science” on the “Boku” criticizes those funds. “For me it is not clear that those projects are exclusive Basic Science” he says and refers to the difficult borderline between Basic- and application science respectively military and civilian science.

Also Jürgen Altmann of the German physical Society E.V. (DPG – Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft) warns to overlook the military background. “The U.S. Military is not a community service, but an institution who in case of doubt enforces political goals with lethal force” he says.

University Autonomy: Self-Control

Thus the German Government implemented new transparency rules for Universities after their cooperation with the U.S. Military broke news regulating third-party-financed-projects Austria does not see any need for action.

What specific mandates the Universities accept lays in their autonomy; The government believes that the internal controlling and approval mechanism work, and acting persons are responsible.

(apa/jk) Erstellt am 08.07.2014, 19:45

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